Breakdown of NBA playoff matchups

Western Conference
No. 1 Thunder vs. No. 8 Rockets
Storyline: OKC built a championship-ready roster through savvy talent evaluation. But the Thunder blew it with the James Harden trade, one of the worst moves in NBA history. Look for Harden to beat his former team once — before OKC overwhelms...

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Western ConferenceNo. 1 Thunder vs. No. 8 RocketsStoryline: OKC built a championship-ready roster through savvy talent evaluation. But the Thunder blew it with the James Harden trade, one of the worst moves in NBA history. Look for Harden to beat his former team once — before OKC overwhelms his supporting cast.

+ captionDenver's Ty Lawson Photo by THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Nuggets ties: Hope for long series. Wear down Thunder before conference finals.Prediction: Thunder in 5

No. 2 Spurs vs. No. 7 LakersStoryline: See how public perception can change? In one season, Lakers went from underachieving soap opera to empathetic figures. Despite Kobe Bryant’s injury, don’t feel sorry for L.A. The Lakers had 82 chances — and needed final week to reach playoffs.Nuggets ties: Hope for short series. Get the Spurs before their stars can get healthy.Prediction: Spurs in 5

No. 3 Nuggets vs. No. 6 WarriorsStoryline: After finest regular season in its NBA history, Denver is locked in, the West’s best team since All-Star break. On the surface, Warriors appear to be a dangerous matchup. The teams play a similar, fast style — only the Nuggets play it better than Warriors.The latest: I'm no athletic trainer, but Kenneth Faried (ankle) ran wind sprints after practice Friday. "I'm going to push myself," Faried said. Game 2 seems the likeliest return for Faried.Prediction: Nuggets in 5